Living in Awe of the God Who is Both Father and Judge
Main Idea of 1 Peter:
1 Peter is a letter of living hope, written to encourage Christians who are suffering as exiles in a hostile world. It calls believers to stand firm in their faith by remembering their secure identity in Christ, living holy lives, and looking forward to an imperishable inheritance.
Recap from Last Lesson:
In our last lesson (1 Peter 1:13-16), we received the great command that flows from our glorious salvation: “Be holy, because I am holy.” Peter called us to prepare our minds for action, to be sober-minded, and to set our hope completely on Christ’s return, living as obedient children who reflect the character of our heavenly Father.
Questions to Consider:
Peter reminds us that we appeal to God as “Father,” but immediately says He “judges impartially.” How do these two truths—God as our loving Father and God as our righteous Judge—work together?
What does it mean to “conduct yourselves in reverence” during our time as strangers?
The passage contrasts being redeemed with perishable things (silver or gold) versus the “precious blood of Christ.” Why is this contrast so powerful?
What does it mean for us that Christ was “foreknown before the foundation of the world” (v. 20)?
How does the resurrection and glorification of Jesus by God the Father secure our faith and hope in God (v. 21)?
The Text:
“If you appeal to the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, you are to conduct yourselves in reverence during your time living as strangers. For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from your ancestors, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was revealed in these last times for you. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.”
– 1 Peter 1:17-21 (CSB)
Observations:
Two Descriptions of God: God is simultaneously addressed as “Father” and described as an “impartial Judge.”
A Motivation for Conduct: Our conduct during our time as “strangers” should be marked by “reverence.”
The Nature of Redemption: Our redemption was a payment (“redeemed”) that freed us from an “empty way of life.”
The Infinite Value of the Price: The price was not temporary (“perishable”) like money, but eternal and perfect: the “precious blood of Christ.”
An Eternal Plan: Christ’s sacrifice was not an afterthought; it was “foreknown before the foundation of the world.”
Interpretation:
Our Father, The Judge (v. 17): Peter continues to build the case for a holy life. He presents a profound reality: the one we “appeal to” as our “Father” is also the one who “judges impartially according to each one’s work.” He is not a doting grandfather who overlooks sin; He is a perfectly righteous Judge who shows no favoritism. Because of this, our response as His children during our time “living as strangers” on earth should be to conduct ourselves in “reverence.” This is a holy, respectful awe of God’s majesty, purity, and authority that motivates us to careful, obedient living.
The Price of Our Redemption (vv. 18-19): Peter then gives the ultimate motivation for this reverent lifestyle: the cost of our salvation. He reminds us that we were “redeemed”—a word that means to be bought back from slavery. We were enslaved to an “empty way of life,” a futile and meaningless existence inherited from our fallen human nature. The price to free us was not something perishable like “silver or gold.” Instead, we were purchased with the infinitely valuable “precious blood of Christ.” Peter compares Jesus to the perfect Passover lamb, a sacrifice that is “unblemished and spotless.” Our freedom from sin cost God the very life of His perfect Son.
The Plan for Our Redemption (vv. 20-21): This incredible sacrifice was not a last-minute plan. Peter reveals that Christ “was foreknown before the foundation of the world.” Before time began, God had already planned for the Son to be our Redeemer. He was revealed in history “for you.” This eternal plan was executed and validated by God the Father, “who raised him from the dead and gave him glory.” Because God the Father put His divine stamp of approval on Jesus’s work through the resurrection, our “faith and hope are in God.” We trust in the all-powerful God who planned our salvation, provided the perfect sacrifice, and powerfully raised Him from the dead.
Application:
Cultivate Reverence: In your prayer life, practice addressing God as both your loving Father and your righteous Judge. Let this balanced view produce a healthy reverence in your heart that motivates you toward holiness and integrity.
Meditate on the Price Paid for You: When you are tempted by the “empty way of life” (sin, meaningless pursuits), stop and reflect on the price of your redemption. Remind yourself, “I was bought with the precious, priceless blood of Christ. I will not treat that sacrifice cheaply.”
Rest in God’s Sovereign Plan: Find immense comfort and security in the fact that your salvation was not an accident or an afterthought. It was planned by God from eternity and accomplished by His unstoppable power. Your faith and hope are secure in Him.
Connection to the Main Idea:
This passage provides the ultimate motivation for the “exiles” to live holy lives (1:15-16). Why should we be holy? Because our Father is also our impartial Judge, and because the price paid to rescue us from our old, empty life was the infinitely precious blood of Christ. This high cost demands a high standard of living.
How Does This Text Point to Christ?
Christ is the centerpiece of our redemption. He is the precious Lamb, unblemished and spotless, whose blood was the ransom price (v. 19). He is the eternal Son, foreknown before creation(v. 20). It is through Him that we believe in God (v. 21). And it was His resurrection and glorification that secures our faith and hope (v. 21).
Summary:
Peter urges believers to live in reverence during their time as strangers, because the God they call “Father” is also an impartial Judge. This holy lifestyle is motivated by the incredible price of their redemption—not perishable money, but the precious blood of Christ, the perfect Lamb. This sacrifice was part of God’s eternal plan, and God’s power in raising Jesus from the dead is the firm foundation for our faith and hope in Him.
Be Intentional:
Memorize 1 Peter 1:18-19 this week. Use it as a weapon against temptation by reminding yourself of the cost of your freedom.
When you pray this week, consciously address God as both “Abba, Father” and “Righteous Judge,” and let that balanced view shape your prayers.
Ask Yourself:
Does my daily life reflect reverence for God, or do I treat His grace casually?
Do I truly see my old patterns of sin as an “empty way of life” from which I’ve been redeemed?
Is my confidence for the future based on my own efforts, or is it securely placed in the God who raised Jesus from the dead?
Bibliography:
Grudem, Wayne A. 1 Peter (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries – TNTC). InterVarsity Press.
Schreiner, Thomas R. 1 Peter (The Exegetical Guide to the Greek New Testament – EGGNT). B&H Academic.
Storms, Sam. The Hope of Glory: 1 Peter. Grace Publications Trust.
Thielman, Frank. “1 Peter.” NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible (NIVBTSB). Zondervan.
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